Shoe-fastening.



PATENTED AUG. 9; 1904.

J. W. DUFF.

SHDE FASTENING.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 6, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented August 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN \VESLEY DUFF, OF OLD ORCHARD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE F. HALEY, OF BIDDEFORD, MAINE.

SHOE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,213, dated August 9, 1904.

Application filed January 6, 1904:.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN WESLEY DUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Old Orchard, in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in shoe-fastenings, and particularly in the provision of a means for dispensing with the use of lacing, eyelet-holes, buttons, &c., and in substitution thereof providing strips of metal whereby the meeting edges of the upper may be opened, allowing the shoe to be placed upon and removed from the foot with ease and rapidity, and constructed so as to be adjusted to snugly hold the top of the upper about the ankle of the wearer.

The invention consists, further, in various details of construction and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, show a part of this application, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an upper of a shoe, showing my device applied to the edges thereof. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the fastening devices, showing the adjustment of the strips in dotted lines to allow for the stretching or the expansion of the leather of the shoe. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of Fig. 1, showing portions of the outer plies of the upper portion broken away. Fig. 4 is a side View showing the shape of the metallic strips. Fig. 5 is an end view looking at the tops of the strips, showing the concaved or curved portions of the angled ends thereof. Fig. 6 is a detail view. Fig. 7 is a slight modification.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the upper of a shoe, having a plateB secured thereto in any suitable manner adjacent to the lower meeting edges of said upper. Said plate Serial No. 187,878. (No model.)

has headed lugs or rivets O projecting from the forward face thereof, and D D designate flexible strips of metal, which have elongated slots D engaged by the shank portion of the lugs upon said plate, the heads of said rivets or lugs being provided to retain the strips in place and to allow a longitudinal movement to the strips. The lower end of said plateis bent toform a flange which is either angled or curved, and a spring E is carried by said flange, said spring being provided for the purpose of cushioning or taking up the jar upon said strips when they come in contact with the spring, which might happen in the natural movements of the foot of the wearer of a shoe equipped with my fastening device. The upper end of each strip is formed with an end portion d at an angle to the main body portion, said end portion being curved and adapted to conform to the portion of the leg of a person adjacent to his or her ankle, and K designates a socket member carried by astrap projecting from one ply of the upper and is adapted to receive one or another of the lugs K upon the other ply of the upper, whereby the plies may be adjusted and held about the ankle of the wearer.

It will be observed that the flexible metallic strips are bent to conform to the natural curve of the instep of a foot and are so arranged that when fastened to the upper they will yield to the movements of the foot and will have a slight longitudinal movement incident to a stretching of the leather, and by reason of the adjustable means at the upper ends of the stripsthe fastener may be adjusted to hold the upper snugly against the ankle of the wearer.

In applying the strips to the edges of the upper they may be fastened thereto in any way, as by sewing or riveting.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings I have shown a slight modification, in which the two strips are shown as pivoted together at e and provided with a strap 6, thereby providing means for taking 'up-stretch in the leather holding the meeting edges together.

I am aware that it is common in the art to utilize flexible metallic strips for fastening shoe-uppers, also fastening devices of a similar character to that above disclosed. Hence I do not claim, broadly, such construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fastening device for shoes comprising in combination with an upper, a plate secured thereto, flexible metallic strips pivotally mounted upon said plate and adapted to have a slight longitudinal play, said plates designed to be fastened to the meeting edges of the upper of the shoe, and fastening means for holding the tops of said strips together, as set forth.

2. A fastening device for shoes comprising in combination with a plate adapted for attachment to the shoe adjacent to the meeting edges of the upper, flexible metallic strips having pivotal connection with said plate and adapted to have a slight longitudinal movement, a cushion carried by said plate against which the strips are adapted to contact, and fastening means for connecting the tops of said strips together, as set forth.

3. A fastening device for shoes comprising a plate adapted to be secured toa shoe adjacent to the lower ends of the meeting edges of the upper, said plate having a flange along its lower end, flexible metallic strips pivotally mounted upon said plate and adapted to have a slight longitudinal movement, a spring carried by said flange and bearing against the lower ends of said strips, and adjustable fastening means at the top of said strips, as set forth.

4. A fastening device for shoes comprising a plate having a flanged bottom, a spring carried by said flanged portion, flexible metallic strips pivotally mounted upon said plate and having slight longitudinal movements and adapted to contact with said spring as the strips are moved toward said flange, the tops of said strips being curved, and adjustable fastening devices for holding the strips adjacent to each other, as set forth.

5. A fastening device for shoes comprising a plate having its lower end flanged and adapted to be fastened to the shoe adjacent to the lower ends of the meeting edges of the upper, headed lugs carried by said plate, flexible metallic strips conforming to the instep of the foot and having elongated slots having a play upon said lugs, a spring carried by the plate and adapted to cushion the strips in their downward movements, and adjustable fastening means for holding the strips adjacent to each other, as set forth.

6. A fastening device for shoes comprising a plate havingits lower edge flanged, headed lugs on the plate, flexible metallic strips having elongated slots adjacent to their lower ends engaged by said lugs, allowing the same to have a longitudinal play, a spring carried by said flange and against which the lower ends of the strips are adapted to contact to cushion the same, each of said strips formed with an end portion at an angle to the main body portion and curved, and adjustable fastening means for holding the strips adjacent to each other, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WESLEY DUFF.

I Witnesses:

LUTE JoHNsoN, S. A. WALno. 

